Calabria Beaches in Italy The European Caribbean

Calabria Beaches are often referred as the European
Caribbean, because its warm climate and sun drenched coastline. These beaches
are world famous especially among fellow Europeans from the north.

Calabria, in southwest Italy, occupies the "toe"
of the country’s boot-shaped peninsula. Reggio Calabria is its largest city
facing the Messina Strait that separates the mainland from the Island of
Sicily.

Calabria offers an endless selection of beautiful beaches
for sun lovers, most featuring cafes, restaurants and hotels as well as all
kind of water sports. Here are our favorites.

Caminia Beach is located on the Ionian Sea side of Calabria

Caminia Beach

Is popular with locals. Located on the Ionian coast near
Catanzaro, this a curve shaped underdeveloped beach surrounded by dramatic
cliffs with pebble sand and warm clear waters. It lacks the main amenities but
compensates with an amazing beauty and the laid back ambiance for a relaxed day
at the beach.

For more action visit the nearby town of Soverato. During
summer holidays it gets very busy, but until then, just pack a picnic bag and
enjoy this piece of paradise.

Caminia, along with neighboring Pietragrande and Copanello
beaches are a competition to the more developed of the west coast of Calabria beaches.

Diamante Beach in Calabria called the Thyrrhenian Pearl

Diamante Beach

Called the “Tyrrhenian Pearl” this is an amazing jewel on
the Riviera Dei Cedri on the Tyrrhenian coast. This is a long white sands beach
surrounded by spectacular cliffs and olive groves. This is the place for
windsurfing, sailing, scuba diving and water skiing.

Diamante is famous throughout Italy for its annual
Peperoncini Festival where local vendors spice things up by creating dishes
such as chili pepper shrimp, chili pepper chocolate, even chili pepper liquor.

Calabria Beaches

Scalea

Located on the Riviera dei Cedri and surrounded by clear
blue waters and rugged mountains, lies Scalea. From here you may enjoy
panoramic views over the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Its unspoiled beaches range from soft,
gray to rocky sand overlooked by the old medieval town of Scalea above the
hilltop. The beach has all amenities for the visitors, including watersports, restaurants,
hotel and cafes. It is near the famous Pollino National Park which means you
can go hiking, camping, mountain biking and swimming all in one day.

Here the main attraction is Dino Island a World Heritage
Site famous for its six magnificent sea caves that shoot underwater lights that
magically illuminate the iridescent blue waters.

It is a 4 km in perimeter
small beach, and reaches 65 meter above the sea. Since it has no beaches,
visitors spend the day on the island exploring the island’s sea caves, being
the most important the Lion’s Grotto, where lights magically glimmer from
beneath the cave.

The sands at Praia a Mare are black volcanic are fully
equipped at no cost. Located on the northwest coast of Calabria, this is a 2 km
sand and pebble beach.

Scuba Divers, trekkers and para-gliders enjoy all the
facilities of nearby Pollino National Park.

Scilla Beach in Calabria mentioned in Homer's Odyssey

Scilla

Located between the slopes of the Aspromonte mountain and
the Tyrrhenian Sea is this picturesque fishing village immortalized in Greek
mythology and featured in Homer’s Odyssey. According to Homer, a six-headed sea
monster names Scylla slept on the shores of this town and attacked sailors as
they attempted to pass the Straits of Messina

This warm water beach is overlooked by the 11th
century Ruffo Castle. The castle sits on top a steep cliff from where you may
enjoy a fantastic view of the Sicilian coast and the Aeolian Islands.

Located just 22 kilometers north of Reggio Calabria on Calabria’s
west coast, this soft-sand beach is one-kilometer-long and 60 meters wide.

Marinela Beach

It is located in Costa Viola, named after the purple color
of its warm waters. Poets have called it the “Terrace of the Straits of
Messina”.

This beach lies on the coast of Palmi, at the slopes of Sant’Elia’s
mountain bordered by palms, orange gardens and olive trees. This beautiful cove
of rocky beach is surrounded by spectacular cliffs and nearby camping sites,
hotels and restaurants enjoyed by locals. This is the type of beach how Mother
Nature intended it to be, warm, inviting, full of fish and secluded from hordes
of tourists.

The white sands the crystal clear waters offer vistas of
Capo Vaticano. It is located on the Tyrrhenian coast across the Aeolian Islands
and Stromboli. It is considered one of the Mediterranean's most gorgeous
beaches and boasts incomparable natural beauty with its massive rock
formations, small bays and secluded beaches.

Several bays can only be reached
by sea and many remain totally isolated. Rich in flora, fauna and fish, its
iridescent waters are perfect for scuba diving.

Simply referred as Pizzo, this is an extensive beachfront
always packed with tourists enjoying its gorgeous sandy beaches surrounded by
impressive cliffs.

One of its attractions is tucked below the road just outside
Pizzo, Chiesetta di Piedigrotta a cave chapel carved centuries ago near the
beach by a group of sailors in gratitude for surviving a storm. The famed
Tartufo di Pizzo, a chocolate and hazelnut ice cream ball containing chocolate
fudge sauce can be enjoyed at any one of the local cafes, bars or restaurants.

I left for the end the most famous of Calabria Beaches,
Tropea, home of Italy’s most spectacular white sand beaches with turquoise and
blue crystal waters. It can only be compared to the Amalfi Coast and Cinque
Terre.

Located between the Gioia Tauro and Sant’Eufemia Gulfs, this
is a 40 km coastline, named the “Coast of the Gods” by Ancient Greeks. On a
clear day you may see the Aeolian volcanic island of Stromboli.

Tropea is by far, the # 1 beach of the Calabria region and
is visited by flocks of tourists looking to get a sun tan during the hours of
sun. In peak season, the beach is packed with wooden bungalows selling
sandwiches, gelato and drinks and there are a dozens of pizzerias, seafood
restaurants and bars lining the beach front.

Pag Croatia is an island on the Adriatic Sea surrounded by pebble and sand beaches. It has many other attractions like its moonlike landscape. There is an archaeological site south of Old Town Pag for…